I had just finished up my "blog" about 8:00 yesterday morning when the phone rang with Rob calling to tell me that my oldest sister, Jeanne, had a stroke the night before. I made all the necessary phone calls to family members, then to the James Paton Hospital in Gander, Newfoundland, where she was placed in their Critic Care Unit.
My last call to the Hospital last night, before retiring was to be one certainly of encouragement, with being told Jeanne's heart rate and blood pressure were both stable and that she could now say both "No" and "Yes", as well as being able to lift her right arm and leg somewhat much better then earlier that day.
My sister has been wearing herself out these past few months, taking care of her husband, Cecil, with his unplanned illness that has continued on for months which has just now, I am sure, taken its toll on her. I am praying is only a "warning" with nothing coming from it too serious or permanent.
Here we are as "caregivers" NOT looking after ourselves, which is such a MUST, to enable us to look after others. I can not stress this enough, as I have found myself, in recent past months, feeling very close to an edge I could have fell from at any given time. I thank God I have such a loving husband, family members and close friends who had kept me afloat and also away from that edge many times, especially over the past year.
With the distance so far between us the feelings of helplessness has been surmountable for me at times, however we all make our choices and I do not blame my brother-in-law wanting to go retire back in his home Province, but certainly wish travelling costs were not so expensive in and across Canada, being more affordable then they are.
Thank God, Cecil's nephew and niece, Carrie and Howard are close by to be there for them, as Jeanne's family are all from and reside here in Ontario. Even though we are not able to be there physically with my sister, I know I am, for one, there in all my being possible with constant thoughts and prayers.
Before I began my daily "blog", I called the hospital first before anything to find out Jeanne had a good night without any problems considering the circumstances. I am able to call back in an hour's time after the Nurse had been in to see her for the morning. I am anxious to hear if she is talking any more and/or moving any more.
Any prayers for my sister, Jeanne, as well as for her husband, Cecil, who is still healing, would be more then welcome and in my heart a blessing. I thank, in advance, all who are able to send prayers for them.
After hearing such news, and being here alone, I busied myself with making a Peach Pie.
"Trying to find stuff in someone else's kitchen can be quite the challenge, but I did it."
"I even managed to have the end result, after finding everything, turn out alright looking."
Once the pie was finished and cooling, I made a couple phone calls to Rob and friends before I had my shower to get ready to go visit Tim at the Hospital.
I got up to see Tim at the hospital around lunchtime. He looked so much better with great colour in his face. He was actually sitting up in his chair having his lunch. The pain medication has been cut back some now and the physiotherapy increased to a couple of times a day, so I am sure by the look on his face at times the pain gets a little much. I had told him, yesterday, if the Peach Pie was any good I would take him up a piece.
After my visit with Tim, I just came back home to call the hospital again, and a couple of my friends in Kitchener/Waterloo from when we lived here, as well as a couple calls to our son, Paul, who lives only 20 minutes away (I will get to see him again at the first of the week, if not today sometime).
Being so tired had just heightened my emotions, and I am not feeling much better today so far, but I will be persevering to keep myself busy.
I got supper going for Bob and myself, then took a walk out and around the block to try and focus on all the enjoyment found in my outside surroundings.
"Just a couple of places I passed by on my walk. This is the home beside Bob & Tim's."
"This is the home directly across the street from Bob & Tim's."
"A garden of green/purple shamrock plants I was admiring as I passed by."
"I think I found another one of my "dream" homes. Plain, simple, but oh so elegant looking."
After I returned from my walk, Bob did arrive home shortly after 7:30 p.m., ravishing much to my delight, as he certainly enjoyed the supper I had made for us.
"My Auntie Gladys's "Chicken & Rice" dish served up with a side of Beet Greens."
"This was a the size of a first helping....Bob was enjoying it so much, he had himself a second helping, with still enough leftover for his lunch today."
"I wasn't going to have a second helping of the main course, when I knew this was desert ! Was it ever good, let me tell the World....lol."
The meal passed the taste test ! Lots of pie left, since it turned out alright I will be taking a piece up to the hospital for Tim.
I would like to go out for another walk today, and was hoping to yet this morning, so I had better be checking out the local Kitchener Waterloo weather forecast first off.
Cloudy. 60 percent chance of showers this afternoon with risk of a thunderstorm. High 25. UV index 5 or moderate.
Cloudy with 60 percent chance of showers early this evening and risk of a thunderstorm. Clearing this evening. Low 14.
It looks like I will have a better chance of staying dry on a walk this morning, rather then waiting until later today or tonight.
Bob and I were both exhausted after dinner last night. After I got everything cleaned up and put away, I still had a phone call to return from Jeanne and my friend, Elsie, who lives in Nfld.. Once we had our chat I headed up to bed around 10:00 p.m..
I am certainly not sleeping any better here at my "home away from home" then I sleep in my own bed at my home "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard", so I can't be blaming it on the mattress, or for that matter "Rob" ! lol.
"My "home away from home" bed. Now you would think I would be able to sleep in a bed as nice as this all night, would you not? Oh and those books shrewn across the bed, those would be recipe books of course... LOL."
Here I now with my own thoughts, wondering how my day ahead will be played out. I am thinking positive with hopes the energy giving forth positive.
I am enjoying my time with my friends, and hoping to go visit my sister-in-law and her husband at some point today. I do miss my Rob, Bandit and Lexus, who are holding down the fort at our home, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard."
